Brad Orlando is ready to get started right away with the McDowell football program.

Orlando, 36, was approved by a 9-0 vote by the Millcreek School Board on Monday evening. He spent the past nine years as an assistant coach at Cathedral Prep, including the past five as the offensive coordinator.

"It had to be the right fit to make this decision," said Orlando about leaving Prep. "I had nine good years at Prep and enjoyed my time with the coaches, administrators, and families. I'm excited to get started with these guys and get my staff together. I'm thankful to the Millcreek School Board and Mr. Bill Hall and I'm ready to go."

Orlando said that he has some names in mind to fill out his assistant coaches but he wanted to wait until the decision became official before contacting anyone. He hopes to decide on his coaching staff in the next week or two.

Orlando graduated from McDowell in 1996 and was a standout linebacker and running back for the Trojans. He walked on briefly at Penn State before an injury ended his football career. He then became an assistant coach at McDowell in 1999.

"We are going to adapt to our personnel here and spread the ball around and get touches to a lot of players," Orlando said. "It takes a while to get to know these young men and their abilities."

Orlando helped coordinate one of the top offenses in the state over the past few years. He worked with record-setting quarterbacks Damion Terry and Billy Fessler and helped teach the spread offense to up and coming quarterbacks throughout his coaching career.

"I've been called a players' coach but I'm a little bit of that and a disciplinarian," Orlando said. "I'll let the guys know what is expected of them. At the end of the day, it's high school football and it's supposed to be fun. We are going to have fun on Friday nights."

TOM REISENWEBER can be reached at 870-1707 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNreisenweber. See a video interview with Orlando on the Varsity blog at GoErie.com/blogs/varsity.